


The End

by NomadicRex



Category: The Evil Within (Video Game)
Genre: M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mild Language, Non-Graphic Smut, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-01
Updated: 2014-12-01
Packaged: 2018-02-27 15:58:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,625
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2698829
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NomadicRex/pseuds/NomadicRex
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They find Joseph four hours later in the county hospital and only when he's stepping through the door to his room does Sebastian remember it's safe to blink. He supposes they have Kidman to thank for this, but Sebastian isn't sure he cares right now...</p>
            </blockquote>





	The End

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't like not knowing where Joseph was at the end of the game, so here's what I've decided happened. Please forgive any mispellings to jumbled lines. This was written all on my phone.
> 
> gloomy sunday, billie holiday  
> beauty, the shivers

The End

 

They find Joseph four hours later in the county hospital-and only when he's stepping through the door to his room does Sebastian remember it's safe to blink. He supposes they have Kidman to thank for this, but Sebastian isn't sure he cares right now. There's a soft smiling nurse checking Joseph's IV drip and her voice reminds Sebastian of an interrogation tactic. Gentleness used to draw a suspect into a false sense of safety. Catch them relaxed. But Joseph is not a criminal, simply a man who looks like someone rubbed his soul with a Brillo brush and left him for dead. 

There's no comparison for the relief that washes over him when his partner's eyes rise to greet him. Alive and well, well enough. There's no smile or sigh of relief, only worry teasing the corner of already serious eyes and that's just fine. Joseph is breathing and Sebastian feels that breath against his shoulder when he folds himself over the bed to clutch his partner's torso. Draw him in , keep him safe. The nurse gives them some privacy and neither seem to care with hands wrinkling clothes and holding on for dear life. 

Joseph doesn't tell him right away how he appeared in the hospital but he doesn't ask. Only cracks the safety on the small plastic window when his partner complains they wont let him “have any fresh air”. The nurse will be angry but right now Sebastian couldn't give a fuck less what anyone cares. He seats himself on the edge of the hospital bed and holds Joseph's ankle too tightly until the doctor appears, and even then doesn't let go. 

He tries to bring his partner up to date on what he learned from the Mental Hospital but Joseph's flinch isn't quite hidden beneath his mask of calm indifference. There's a frightened shiver in the man's right hand, thin lips and a dehydrated look to the rest of him only put there by extreme circumstances. Sebastian doesn't try to explain further,just sits by quietly through the Doctor's review of his condition and tries to ignore the nurse gaping at the wounds at the top of their spines. 

Joseph is too polite when the Doctor recommends he remain in the hospital for the week. For observation. Sebastian cuts in. Tells them he'll take Joseph home and there's no room for argument when the man agrees. Thanking the doctor and apologizing once again for the window while Sebastian mourns nothing of the sort and lets his partner clean up his mess once again. 

He remains standing firmly between the doctor and Joseph though. The long white coat offending their sense of reality and they're both eager to leave once Joseph is cleared.

Their chariot home is a sweat stained taxi and a southern driver who gladly accepts the handful of cash in exchange for what remains of his pack of menthol, and to roll down the four windows. Bizarre request, he mutters, but does so anyways and Sebastian has his hand locked onto Joseph's belt loop while his partner rests his brow against the window frame. Letting city air snap at his skin and the new day creeping over the horizon of towers casts his gaunt expression in fire. Sebastian doesn't blink for a solid three minutes and his ankles hurt from keeping legs tense. Ready for the world to fall out from under them. 

Ready to keep Joseph at his side if a man in white tries to separate them again. 

He's been to Joseph's apartment before. Several times. Seventh floor and Myra used to call it a “shoe box with two doors”. Though Sebastian doesn't think about Myra now. Not once they're past the steel door and into what is literally two rooms and a bed. Joseph has always been this way, spartan in his tastes and needs. His desk is a virtual germ free zone staring across Sebastian's own. Filed neatly and wiped down daily just like everything in his life. The humble dwellings feel like a palace once the door is shut behind them. Once Joseph can stand leaning against the cabinets and counter that runs along a long wall as Sebastian watches him by his side. 

There are a thousand conversations passing between them. Each unspoken and vital to their existence. Somehow Sebastian feels like the small movement in Joseph's eyelash is the only thing keeping him alive right now, or from waking up in that nightmare again. Only in the frightened posture and even breath of his partner he trusts reality, though he knows Joseph is doing the opposite. It's why he reaches out, rests his hand on the man's elbow, and remains quiet. 

“I don't want to risk sleeping.” Joseph says and Sebastian isn't quite sure if it's out loud, but he hears it all the same. Moves of Joseph's will to the out dated radio on a industrial shelf his partner can only barely reach. (He installed it the week after they'd met. Myra brought cupcakes that tasted horrible and laughed as Sebastian installed shelves too high for his new partner). There's a static saturated station crooning old love songs and Joseph tells him to leave it with a look. Moves to the bed not five steps away and collapses on the covers. 

Sebastian removes their shoes in a clumsy attempt to be helpful, but Joseph fares better in removing the rest. Though, normally swift hands capable of smacking a bottle of milk-jug whiskey from his mouth, seem slower that morning. The sun is a distant thought behind heavy blinds just as any concern of nudity when they fall together in bed. Blankets drawn up to chins and Josephs' eyes are wide awake despite the late hour and the hysterical exhaustion they both feel in their bones.

By the time Sebastian pulls himself over Joseph's spine, neither have any illusions that this is romantic. There's no kissing or tenderness when his cock is inside his partner and he's fucking Joseph for the sake of action. To wear adrenaline down into a fine grain of peace that never seems to come. They're silent save for quick grunts when something is uncomfortable, or when a sob breaks the fragile moment. Sebastian can feel a tear on the fist by Joseph's face pushed down into the mattress, and Joseph doesn't comment on his partner's lack of completion. Neither were really expecting to get off anyways. He takes Joseph on his stomach until the angle is too awkward. Draws him to knees and bruises his knuckles when his hand slips on the plain headboard. There's no orgasm, just a rhythmic rock of a bed and skin running down skin until he's left marks on Joseph's hips and his partner is starting to fall asleep. 

This isn't their first time, but this was never a “Thing” with them. A handful of times, maybe. Always tainted with alcohol and a following some manic fight about Sebastian's behavior. Before now he always wondering if it was taking advantage of his partner, but Joseph outright said it meant nothing. When they lay together Sebastian knows that's not true and curls around the man with all the protective intentions of a lion. 

It means everything. 

By late evening they might have slept less than three hours between them. Pausing their rest to piss or rut together in various ways, slowly growing more tender over time. Sebastian manages to come when Joseph's mouth is around him. Joseph washes his mouth out in the nearby kitchen sink and lets Sebastian cry hot tears into his belly. Pets his hair and doesn't lie and say “it's ok”. The silence is a blessing actually. They watch television at midnight and avoid all news stations, asumming all coverage will be on what they found in the asylum. There are black and white sitcoms and classic cartoons to fill the noise and when Joseph falls asleep on his shoulder Sebastian remains awake for hours to make sure nothing happens. Only moving by morning when his stomach growls so hard it wakes the other up.

Coffee tastes like liquid heaven and they both hover together and burn their tongues on steaming cups, knees touching, breath aligned. They look nowhere else but one another and eat canned chicken with a shared fork and some type of bean curd Joseph's mother sent from over seas. That. In all honestly shouldn't taste as good as it did. But it's sustenance and it brings a bit of color back into Joseph's skin. A small miracle in a world that no longer seems real. 

They sleep for the rest of the day and ignore the piling messages on their phones until the batteries die. They're forced to pull on pants to answer the door for the concerned officers (friends) looking for them. No one expects them to return to work just yet, a small relief. But they do have an obligation to report on their findings. To bring light to the terrifying mystery of the asylum. They agree to come in the next day, and their fellow officers must pity them, agreeing without a fight and leaving them with well wishes and no comment on their state of dress. They avoid the news for one more day and order pizza, but hardly touch it once it arrives save for scavenger picking. Spending the night staring at one another in the bed with no words that seem important enough to break the silence. They remain touching however, in all that they do. Joseph clutching a hand while he makes Sebastian drink water and take aspirin. Sebastian sitting on his partner's lap as he blows the smoke of his last cigarette against Joseph's parted mouth. They sleep for five hours at most, in turns, and the morning sun seems duller than it ever has before. 

They suffer through looking like humans that morning. Washing separately only for lack of space in Joseph's shower, which makes Sebastian nervous until he reaches in to hold Joseph's wrist. He bathes quickly and with eyes open, watching his partner through the open shower door and stands behind him dripping wet watching themselves in the mirror. Has to place his hand on the glass to ensure it's solid and no light will try to steal him away. 

“Seb,” Joseph keeps him grounded with the name and Sebastian takes his time kissing him against the running faucet. Scratching pale skin with his overgrown beard and digging nails into hips. They manage to fuck like they have before. All needy slap of skin and rocking together with a fragile desperation blinded by the moment, thinking of nothing else but getting off. Letting the surge of endorphins keep them safe until they survive venturing out of the apartment. They take another shower apart and Joseph attempts to shave his partner with a feeble razor-but neither seem steady with their hands so they forgo the attempt and move on. 

They're an hour late to the station and just say they needed to pick up Sebastian's clothes. No one questions them.

Talking about their experience is difficult as they have to be separated. There's a flare of worry in Joseph's eyes, a cautious “Seb” and Sebastian does his best to sound firm. Certain when he answers that it will be ok and like magic, Joseph's eyes are shielded from all the danger in the world as they're lead away from each other. 

His skin smells like Joseph's soap and that keeps him steady in the interview. The Captain is present, probably surprised that his detective is sober as he goes over in clinical detail all the things Joseph would be saying in the next room. Sorted. Simple details void of anything personally tragic. Make it all seem like some fairy tale dream and all the blame resting on Dr. Jimenez and a mysterious boy they simply can't find. He can't answer for all the missing persons but the police have already started to find bodies at least. They're telling him what else they've discovered, the traces of brutal experiments, the blood soaked records and Sebastian breathes in his own skin like Joseph's to remain calm. 

“What do you think, Detective?” He's asked.

Answers by placing his badge on the table.

“I think I need some sleep. Hold onto this for me in the mean time, ok?” His hand quakes when he does so, and they let him go without a word.

Emerging from the interrogation room he almost sees rusted walls and screaming bodies. Causes him to pause and grip the door handle too tightly while air refuses to enter his lungs, fill him with reality. He can recall the feel of organs and bone under his feet. Nearly hears the small swing of a chain, or the horrendous scream of a beast around the corner. He braces and waits for the room to turn, until Joseph's hand takes his and pulls him from the nightmare.

“Seb?”

“I'm alright.” He's too quick to answer and the decaying walls fade back to an oppressive cream.

Joseph doesn't believe him, but only due to the fact neither of them can say such and be honest,, so they don't bother fighting over it. They fall into line, foot steps equal and keeping close as they find their way back to Joseph's cramped apartment. Fall back into bed, stripped nude once again and only sleep this time. Sebastian is lucky enough not to dream but Joseph confesses to seeing flames in the dark of his slumber and doesn't seem interested when Sebastian kisses his shoulder. They eat cold pizza and watch reruns of reality shows neither enjoy and Joseph gifts Sebastian with a new pack of cigarettes. Purchased from a fellow officer during their visit. He smokes half of one and Joseph mouths the rest, frowning at the taste but clearly challenging himself. Perhaps not to be afraid of the warmth of cinder near his lips, or a thousand other things. 

Sebastian says he feels like his world is painted in lead and Joseph agrees while riding Sebastian later than night. Then they kiss until falling asleep. Wake at Sebastian's nightmare and kiss more until Joseph tells him to go to sleep, scratching through Sebastian's coarse beard until he does just that.

By morning on a day they haven't kept track of, they finally acknowledge what's happening. Joseph is awake before him and Sebastian mourns the loss of body heat, watches him from the bed and can't seem to stop. Coffee is brewing and Joseph is standing on the edge of a question he seems weary of. By now, they've been together long enough to know something's different. That before the nightmare Sebastian was fine with living in his drunken haze and Joseph accepted the task of picking up the pieces. But now, they're both in a puzzle on the floor and none of the edges seem to be fitting back together without one another. Joseph seems hesitant to say it, but Sebastian knows. He's known since he kissed him a day ago, and again, and last night and soon after he stands. Takes his partner's face in hand and kisses him small and careful. Let's lips pop when they part and lines blur as he kisses him again and Joseph's sigh of relief fills his lungs like fresh air never could.

“What now?” Joseph asks, bringing his mouth to Sebastian's chin before drawing the man into him. Holding his weight and locking arms around his torso with no intentions to let go.

“I don't know.” Sebastian kissed Joseph's brow and forgets to worry about nightmares for just a moment. “But I need my partner.”

strangerskulls.tumblr.com


End file.
